Spring suspension of motor and other vehicle bodies



Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,841

M. STRACHAN SPRING SUSPENSION 0F MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE BODIES Filed July 5, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I "T n I l v 1 g Q *P fix a I u ef h k) Fig.1,

Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,841

J. M. STRACHAN SPRING SUSPENSION OF MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE-BODIES Filed July 5, 1924 4 sne tsmeet 7% ZZZ/Aw 11 fiKM M J. M. STRACHAN SPRING SUSPENSION OF MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE BObIES Dec. 13, 1927.

Filed July 5. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 13,, 1927. 1,652,841

J. M s'r'RAcHAN SPRING SUSPENSION 0F MOTOfi AND OTHER VEHICLE BODIES i Filed July 5, 1924 v 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 Fig.5.

'IIIIII'III" Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

' uiairsn ist SPRING SUSPENSION OF MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLE BODIES.

Application filed July 5, 1924, Serial No. 724,432, and in Great Britain .T ulyll 9, 1923.

the said springs are clamped by plates that may be provided with upwardly projecting bolts. 7

The ends of the springs are bent around pins that extend on each side and are pro vided with rollers, slides, links or equiva lent parts by which a subsidiary frame tov which the car body is secured, is supported- The hereinbefore mentioned bolts that project upwardly from the clamping plates at the centre of the springs may pass through holes in the subsidiary frame which comprises longitudinal members of suitable cross-section such as an inverted U-sectioii the legs of which are provided with iiiwardly projecting flanges'leaving a space between them through which the ends of the springs extend so that the aforesaid rollers or equivalent parts may operate in the channel formed on each side of the said longitudinal members abovethe flanges. The holes in the subsidiary frame through which the aforesaid upwardly extending bolts pass are situated in the horizontal portion of the said longitudinal members between the parts engaged by the rollers or equivalents and said bolts may be maintained therein-by nuts.

Helical compression springs may surround the bolts between the-said longitu dinal members and the nuts so as'to'produce an elastic joint and rubber or other suitable buffer-rings may-surround .thc'basc of the bolts beneath the said longitudinal members so as to provide a cushion between the subsidiary frame and the springs if the latter should be unduly compressed. V

The. aforesaid bolts prevent transverse movement-between the car body and chassis and longitudinal movement between these parts is prevented by one or morehorizontal links one end of which isipivoted to the chassis and the other to the subsidiary frame. With this arrangement the"rollers or equivalent parts at the extremities of the iesasu.

semi-elliptical springs may roll or slide upon the under surface, of'the. subsidiary frame or be pivotally connected-to its ver'- tical sides so as to si ving when the springs are compressed and th'ecar body inay' be prevented from rising'too high when the springs recoverthemselveslby suitable stops,

such as the. hereinbefore mentioned helical springs. that surround tliefbol'ts' that couple the'said frame to the chassis.

I will now proceed to more particularly" 1 v describe my invention with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of a motor veh cle constructed according to the present invention with the near wheels rea i moved to show the parts behind them,

Fig. 2 is a transversesection through one of the side members of the chassisand subsidiary frame, on the line in Fig.1, 1

Fig. 3 is a'transverse section onthe line, 3-3 inFig. 1,"

Fig.4 is a similar. view to that shown in Fig. 1 illustrating another construction,

Figs. 5, 6, .7, '8 and 9 are respectively transverse sectionstlirough one of the side members of the chassis and subsidiary frame in the planes indicated'by the lines Fig. 10 is a sectionalelevation of the end of one of the semi-elliptical springs and part of 'the'subsidi'ary frame illustrating a.

modified construction and;

Fig. 11 is a transverse "section on the line 1111-1Il Fig. 10. p y v According to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the vehicle body a is supported upon a subsidiary frame Z2 comprising longitudinal side-members 0 tied together by transversememberswhich may be the crossbeams' d .of the body.

' The chassis e is PIOVlClBd'Wltll road wheels t sprung in the usual way and has suitable brackets f. boltedto it't-hat support the leaves 9 ofsemi-elliptica'l springs h. The extremities of the upper leafy of these springsare bent around pins 2' on whose ends are mounted rollers j adapted ,to roll in'guides formed in the longitudinal memhorse of the. subsidiary frame. The longitudiiial members 0 are of inverted U-section with inwardly"projectingflanges 70 at the lower. ends of the legs of the U which form lateral chaniiels'within which the rollers are adapted to roll. With this arrangement the ends of the elliptical springs extend between the legs of the U so as to support the rollers in position.

The leaves 9 are clamped between their respective brackets f and a plate Z having an upwardly extending pin m by U-shaped clamping bolts 12. The upwardly extending pin on is screw-threaded and passes through a hole in the longitudinal members 0 whereafter it is surrounded by a helical spring 0 situated between washers 79- 'and there retained by a nut Q which limits the upward movement of the car body which is cush ioned bythe spring 0.

The pin m is surrounded at its base by a buffer ring 1* having a plate a limit the compression of the springs h.

Connecting links a are pivoted to brackets o oneach side of the chassis and to suitable pivots 'w extending laterally from the longitudinal members 0 of the subsidiary frame in order to prevent undue longitudinal movement.

According to the construction shown in Figs. 4 to 9 the longitudinal membersc are each composed of two portions 0" connected together by bolts 1 which pass through tubular distance pieces 2 (Fig. 9) and are securedto the cross-beams d of the body a by U-shaped bolts 3 that span them and each of the said longitudinal members which are maintained in position by plates l and nuts 5.

The springs 71, are supported by brackets f as in the construction illustrated by Figs. 1 to 3 but the upwardly extending pins m are dispensed with and sliding blocks 7 are employed instead of the rollers j. I

Links it connect the body with the chassis on both sides and are pivoted to brackets o bolted. to the latter and to a pin to that passes through the longitudinal members 0 of the subsidiary frame (Figs. 7 and 8). Lateral displacement of the body is prevented by the springs 72 the ends of which extend between the portions 0" of. the longitudinal members 0.

Blocks of wood or other suitable material 6, 7 are secured to the body and chassis at points opposite each other at suitable intervals to limit the compression .of the springs and one of these maybe provided with a cushion 8 of elastic material to form a buffer between them.

The chassis is also provided with angle brackets 9- which project above the longitudinal members 0 between the body bearers to limit the upward movement of the body and a pad 10 of suitable elastic material is secured to the said longitudinal members to form a cushion between them.

In order to provide for the lubrication of the blocks j" the longitudinal members 0 are provided at suitable points with nipples 11 7 above it which together form a cushioning stop to to which a grease pump may be connected for the purpose of introducing a lubricant. The road wheels 25 are mounted on an axle j ournalled in boxes (not shown) upon which top leaf 9 of the semi-elliptical springs a are pivoted to the upper ends of links or shackles 13 whoselower ends are connected to the longitudinal members 0 of the subsidiary frame by bolts 14 that extend between the portions 0".

p The bolt 1 1 is provided. with a central bore 15 extending from one end and communicates with radial ports 16 and 17 through which a lubricant may be forced by a pump (not shown) connected to the nipple 11 into the channel 18 formed on the outer surface of the bolt 14:.

The pin 2' that connects the ends of the semi-elliptical spring h to the shackle 13 is also provided with a bore 25 having ports 19 and 20 the latter of which communicates through the duct 23 in the shackle 13 with the port 17 formed in the bolt 14 by which lubricant is led to the bore 25 whence it passes by the port 19 to thechannel 21 formed on the surface of the pin i vVith this arrangement the upper end of the shackle is caused to swing outwardly in the direction of the arrow 22 in Fig. 10 when the. semi-elliptical springs h are compressed. V

presented toward each other and separated by a central longitudinal slot, each said flange together with its respective side and top portion of its member constituting a guideway, leaf-springs mounted on said frame, elements slidably mounted in said channel members and guided by the guideways thereof, said leaf springs having their end portions respectively directly connected to their respective slidably mounted elements, means for mounting said leaf-springs on said frame, each said means comprisinga vertically extending bolt received through a perforation in said supplemental frame,

cuShiOning elements arranged respectively immediately above and below said supplemental frame about each said bolt to cushion said supplemental 'frame against rebound and excessive jolts, means on the ends of said bolts respectively for retaining the respec' tive upper cushioning means thereon, and longitudinally extending rigid means pivotally connected at its respective end portions to said frame and said supplemental frame respectively to limit relative longitudinal movement between said frames, the said leafsprings, slidable elements and channel members cooperating in tending to prevent relative transverse movement between said frames, and said bolts tending to prevent relative transverse, and also relative lcngitudinal, movement between said frames.

2. In a vehicle, a frame, a body, axles,

and springs mounting said frame on said axles, in combination with a supplemental frame comprising two longitudinally extending downwardly presented channel memberssecured to said body, each said member having two lower flanges presented toward each other and separated by a central longitudinal slot, each said flange together with its respective side and top portion of its member constituting a guideway, leaf-springs mounted on said frame, elements movably mounted in said channel member-s 'and guided by the guideways thereof, said leafsprings having their end portions respectively directly connected to their respective movable means, and longitudinally extending rigid means pivotally connected at its respective end portions to said frame and said supplemental frame respectively to limit relative longitudinal. movement between said frames, the said leaf springs, movable elements and channel members all cooperating in tending to prevent relative transverse movement between said frames.

3. In a vehicle, a frame, a body, axles and springs mounting said frame'on said axles, in combination with a supplemental frame comprising two longitudinally extending downwardl presented channel members secured to said body, each said member having two lower flanges present-ed toward each other and separated by a central longitudinal. slot, each said flange together with its respective side and top portion of its member constituting a guideway, leaf-springs mounted on said frame, and elements movably mounted in said channel members and" guided by the guideways thereof, said leafsprings having both their end portions respectively connected to their respective cooperating movable means, the said leafsprings, movable elements and channel mem bers all cooperating in tending to prevent relative transverse movement between sald frames.

4:: In a vehicle,a frame, a body, axles, and 1 top portion of itsmember constitutinga I guideway, leaf-springs mounted on said frame, and elements slidably mounted in said channel members and guided by the guideways thereof, said leaf-springs having both their end portions respectively connected to their respective cooperating slidably mounted means, the said leaf-springs, slidably mounted elements and channel mem-. bers all cooperating in opposing relative transverse movement between said frames.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at 15, Cavendish Square, London, England, this 5th day of June, 1924.

JAMES MARSHALL STRACHAN; 

